a chinwag with eckersley’s art and craft prize winner

What if we told you the winner of the inaugural Eckersley’s Art and Craft Prize only started painting a year ago and taught himself via textbooks and online tutorials? That actually happened. Sean Lee has been awarded the top gong in the Eckersley’s Art and Craft Prize for his oil painting featuring the greatest chilli oil on the planet. We had a chat to Sean about what it feels like to win this new prize and the story behind the winning painting.

Congratulations on winning the Eckersley’s Art and Craft Prize! Describe to us the moment you found out you won. Thank you! It was surreal. I remember I was sitting on the floor of my room on a Monday prepping some canvas when I got the call. At first, I thought it might’ve been a scammer, so it took a moment for me to realise what was going on. Then I thought it might’ve been a prank, but it soon settled in and by the end I was just really excited and happy. Some days it still doesn’t feel real, but overall, it’s been a mix of lots of positive emotions!

Can you tell us about the piece that won the prize – what inspired it and how it came to life? It was a part of a series on my identity that I’ve been working on. I was thinking of the different aspects of my current identity – my cultural background, professional life, spirituality and family. My Pantry Essentials represents what my parents have passed down onto me and what I now identify with in terms of cultural background. I was born in Australia to migrant parents – my mum is from Taiwan and my dad is from Malaysia. I had this mixed sense of cultural identity growing up, which was confusing and sometimes disorientating, but over time I realised it was something to embrace and be proud of.

As the name suggests, the sauces were all picked from my pantry (or fridge, in the case of the Lao Gan Ma), and are used frequently in our household. I took a photo of the composition on my kitchen counter in order to paint it.

When did you start oil painting? I started oil painting midway through 2024. I had been thinking about picking it up as a hobby for a while, so when I stumbled onto some free time last year I thought I’d give it a go and it’s been nothing but a great experience since then.

What does it mean to be recognised by the judging panel and a brand with the heritage of Eckersley’s? It feels validating to know that people appreciate and resonate with my work. As someone still in the early years of being an artist, I haven’t had a lot of opportunity to show experienced people my work, so it’s been hard to gauge if what I’m painting is of a quality that others enjoy and connect with. I feel really blessed to be able to have the time, space and money to be able to paint, so it’s great to see a positive outcome for the effort I’ve been putting in.

Has the prize given you any breathing room to experiment, explore or rest? I’ve really enjoyed experimenting with different aspects of painting, from stretching canvas to priming surfaces, so I’m really excited to have some financial breathing room to use materials I haven’t been able to try before. I’m also really keen to try new paint brands, as I’m still learning which paints work the best for me.

Your work will be shown in the Hazelhurst Art Centre. How does that feel? Super-stoked and honoured. When I first started painting, I never really thought it would get to this point, so it’s exciting to have it displayed in such a beautiful space and among so many other great artists.

Does this win affect your creative plans moving forward? If so, how? For now, art is still more of a part-time gig for me, but given the overwhelmingly positive experience this has been, I am definitely going to take some time to think about my future plans!

What would you say to other artists (especially those new to art prizes) who might be too hesitant to enter? If you can, go for it! I think the benefit of entering an art prize goes beyond just aiming to win. It was great to have a goal to work towards and it really made me think about how my art looks through someone else’s lens, which I think has also helped refine the direction I want to take my art in the future.

Do you have any rituals or daily habits you use to boost your creativity? One of the more helpful things I’ve done is to paint random things around the house. You can paint anything! I find it helps because I’m still utilising my skills and thinking about technique (especially when I’m in a bit of a creative rut) and it gives me time until inspiration hits for my next idea.

I also keep a little sketchbook on me so I can sketch whenever I have the opportunity. I don’t necessarily draw things for people to see, so I can be free to make mistakes without feeling embarrassed (although why should you feel embarrassed about creating art?).

Do you have any advice for people who don’t consider themselves artists but want to start making or creating? You know that scene in Ratatouille where the ghost chef says “anyone can cook”? That’s how I feel about art. Everyone’s an artist. Whether you’re painting, drawing, bullet journalling, scrapbooking, making music – whatever it is, there are so many ways to express yourself in creative and fun ways. One of the great things about the internet is that there are so many generous and inspirational people who are willing to show you how to make art. The next step is finding what works for you and brings you joy, then investing some money, time and effort into it.

What’s next for you and your art practice? I’m looking forward to trying new subject matter, such as working more seriously on developing my landscape and portraiture skills. This experience has also really motivated me to get more involved in trying to showcase my work, including entering other art prizes and maybe even art fairs.

Want to see for yourself? Go on a little art excursion and check out all the Eckersley’s Art and Craft Prize finalists at the exhibition at Hazelhurst Arts Centre from September 6th to 23rd, 2025. You can read our chat with the judges, Natalie O’Connor, Alan Daniel Jones and Carla Hananiah here, and check out the full list of winners and finalists here.